★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs IBISWorld
Start here
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, things IBISWorld doesn't offer
Pick IBISWorld instead if
IBISWorld
Subscription, One-time · Web · API
- Go this way if you prefer a simpler, more focused tool.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
GuruFocus and IBISWorld cover a lot of the same ground (5 shared categories, including APIs & data feeds, scores, and AI chat), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 49 categories to IBISWorld's 5, including stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, plus a mobile app. IBISWorld counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
GuruFocus
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
IBISWorld
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- GuruFocus
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus49 vs 5 categories
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Broker sync
- GuruFocus
- Asset coverage
- GuruFocusAdds stocks and ETFs
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $549/yr | Subscription, One-time |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | 49 limits: Free: portfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members, Free: data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package +47 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | Yes | No |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data API, GuruFocus MCP Server +3 more | Salesforce and Snowflake |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +9 more | — |
Categories covered | 49 | 5 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 9 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +7 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit IBISWorld |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and IBISWorld each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and IBISWorld each do best.What GuruFocus does best
- Research coverage for global stocks with long historical financials, valuation data, charts, comparisons, market valuation indicators, economic indicators, industry data, and company-level fundamentals.
- The All-in-One Screener with hundreds of filters across fundamentals, valuation, profitability, growth, dividends, guru holdings, insider trades, predefined value screens, custom filters, saved screens, and downloads.
- ETF Screener and ETF GF Scores for filtering and comparing more than 5,000 U.S.
- Corporate and government bond screening by yield, maturity, ratings, coupon structure, outstanding amount, issuer, and industry, plus company-level bond tabs.
- Backtest screener strategies across many countries with configurable stock count, ranking metric, sort order, date range, and rebalance frequency; current membership terms give Premium the latest five years and Premium Plus/Professional history back to 2006.
What IBISWorld does best
- Full Industry Research Reports for 30-40 page industry context, downloadable PDFs, and Key Statistics tables exportable to Excel.
- Purchase options for single reports where a one-off industry study is enough, or use membership access for recurring research workflows.
- Business Environment Profiles for proprietary forecasts across economic indicators.
- Industry Risk Ratings and Early Warning System data for forward-looking industry risk context.
- Access to report data through the REST API with OAuth2, report metadata, sections, PDFs, updated-report lists, and classification concordance where the account is API-enabled.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and IBISWorld, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and IBISWorld, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | 6 countries |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | End of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Auth: OAuth2100 req/min |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | SalesforceSnowflake |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | PDFExcelJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Not specified |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesCredit ratings+1 more | Not specified |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | IBISWorldFounded 1971Support: Email and Phone |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freeportfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members · data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package · +1 more | — |
| Entry paid plan | $549/yr≈ $45.75/mo“Premium”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership · +2 more | Subscription“Membership (Subscription)” |
| Tier 2 | $1398/yr≈ $116.50/mo“Premium Plus”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 500/month included with Premium Plus membership · +2 more | One-time“Single Report – Industry Research” |
| Tier 3 | $200/mo“Data API Builder”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +12 more | One-time“Single Report – Spotlight” |
| Tier 4 | $2448/yr≈ $204/mo“Professional”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 2,000/month included with Professional membership | — |
| Tier 5 | $2000/mo“Data API Commercial”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +1 more | — |
| Top plan | $100 per unit“Data API Pay As You Go”initial top up: $100 credit · stock daily prices: $0.05/request · +16 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Custom API / Enterprise Package” | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between GuruFocus and IBISWorld?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while IBISWorld puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, scores, and AI chat. They overlap in 5 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is GuruFocus or IBISWorld free to use?
GuruFocus has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. IBISWorld is paid-only. If budget matters, start with GuruFocus and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use GuruFocus or IBISWorld on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. IBISWorld doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do GuruFocus and IBISWorld have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose GuruFocus or IBISWorld?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and screeners matter to you; go with IBISWorld if you prefer its overall approach. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and IBISWorld cover?
Both cover other. GuruFocus also handles stocks, ETFs, and bonds.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and IBISWorld?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (Excel), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Can GuruFocus or IBISWorld connect to my broker?
GuruFocus syncs with brokers automatically. With IBISWorld, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or IBISWorld?
GuruFocus has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; IBISWorld doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or IBISWorld?
GuruFocus handles portfolio tracking. IBISWorld is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.